Film- Dhayam
Director- Kannan Rangaswamy
Cast- Santhosh Prathap, Aira Agarwal,Jayakumar,Jeeva Ravi
A psychological-suspense thriller, the plot centers round eight candidates, five men and three women, who appear for an interview for the post of the CEO of a firm. It’s what happens as they find themselves pitted against each other, fighting for survival and pawns in a mysterious game played by the company. Surrealistic in its take, it has some queer characters, the happenings bizarre. The film reminds one of psychological thrillers like 'Exam', 'Cube' and ‘The Island’.
The candidates are confined to a room with no way out, and given an hour to pass a test. The one who survives the experience would be chosen as the next CEO of the company, they are informed. The early part seems like a madhouse with weird characters thrown together, none seeming normal. They soon realise that their identities have been ‘hacked’ mysteriously and that they have forgotten their names. Pitted against each other, it is the survival tactics they resort to as they get killed one by one. There is a mysterious ninth candidate too who would appear later in the plot and give it the final twist.
The happenings confined within the four walls of a single room could well have given a feel of claustrophobia to a viewer But a taut screenplay and the changing camera angles doesn't let one get that feel. It’s difficult to connect to the earlier part. But as the narration progresses and the pieces fall into place, the happenings in the room take on a new meaning. And it’s only after this that clarity is restored and the film generates interest. It’s a cast of lesser known actors that are featured here. Santhosh Prathap (of Parthiban’s ‘Kathai Thirakathai Vasanam Iyakkam’), cuts a dashing debonair picture. And while he is lost amongst the crowd in the earlier moments, he gets his space towards the end, the happenings centering round him. A challenging role, the actor has essayed it with amazing confidence. With horror, mystery and suspense weaved in, the film taking 104 minutes of viewing time is for hard core lovers of the genre.